An ODT headline (February 1, 2025) said: "Concern at net loss of population".
It was not the sound of wind in the trees that affected my hearing aids: it was the sigh of relief by Planet Earth’s environment and biodiversity.
So why the "concern"? Surely a stable population is what all countries should be seeking?
Instead our planet is overpopulated, and given the green light by commerce and corporations. Our financial systems are the possible cause of our demise. Finite resources are running out.
Massive amounts of costly energy are needed just to maintain existing populations. Mass migration is on the cusp of happening.
United States President Donald Trump is resorting to desperate attempts to control it.
Food-growing areas are diminishing. Deserts are taking over farmlands. And on top of that climate change is causing mayhem with the weather cycles.
Another ODT headline says it all: "Achieving zero carbon unlikely" says our local council. Well, what do your expect? Our political mantra is "growth".
Manufacturers need to expand. Businesses need to grow. New and replacement products are pushed on to expanding populations.
Something has to give ... resource extraction, processing, manufacturing and transport emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases.
We are long past time to call a halt on some industries if we want a liveable future world.
This country could be self-sufficient. We grow the food efficiently without undue energy input using basic technology and innovation. We can erect shelter, even large buildings, using locally grown and manufactured resources.
Yes. That’s our forests. Processing timber has only a minor effect on carbon emissions, and growing trees sequester the carbon dioxide output, while timber products retain carbon.
It is an industry that offers employment, if only our leaders cotton on to this fact and investors want a cleaner world to live in.
No doubt other industries can look at carbon input, and beefed-up research institutes given the incentive, but at age 90 I despair anything is likely to happen anytime soon to boost our environmental resources.
The mainstream media appears to have gone to sleep on this issue, as well as much of the business community. But we can live and hope ...
• Jim Childerstone is an independent forestry consultant.
